Demos to Die for...

The ladies of Fleetwood Mac: Stevie Nicks (L) and Christine McVie (R)



    Well, JDSkills has done it again.  I have found some more amazing demos that I am seriously obsessed with and you my fellow Macters, will be able to get a quick listen.  I found some really great demos that are written and sung by the ladies of Fleetwood Mac, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks.  These next couple of demos have never seen the light of day ...until now. 

    Here is one that makes me want to bust a move.  This song is written by Christine McVie and was supposed to be on the epic Rumours album in 1977. After listening, I can hardly say I'm surprised.  The song is full of drama and anger towards Christine's ex husband and fellow band mate-bass player John Mcvie.
Look at these lyrics...

"Even though you've stopped the sun from shining
Well I've tried my best, but it may not be enough...

 What can you say to accuse me
When you know I'm not to blame?"

    Now I'm guessing that these lyrics are directed at John for two reasons.
 1.)  It was written in 1977 and who else would she be talking about? 
 2.)  These lyrics seem to make sense for John Mcvie who at the time was pretty much a raging drunk. Well, maybe not RAGING- I think that's a bit harsh.  He just got drunk from time to time and Chris McVie simply grew tired of it. She tried, but there is only so much that a lady can do with a husband who has a drinking problem.  Poor Chris...

    And might I add, Stevie is also doing vocals with Chris on this song and together, they both sound awesome!  Stevie can certainly relate to these lyrics.  She herself was going through her own messy breakup with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham.  I like to think of this song as a mutual  shout out towards both of their previous lovers in the band.  The song perfectly fits the aura of the album at the time and I think it would have been phenomenal on the Rumours album. 

Despite the sad lyrics, it is a rockin' song so go ahead and take a listen!

Believe Me Christine McVie

  This next song, is probably one of the most beautiful songs that Stevie Nicks has ever written.  This song was written in the 1970's,- it is hard to figure the exact date, but from the tone of her voice, I am guessing it would somewhere around 1976. 

    The name of this song is China Doll and was written about Lindsey Buckingham (or it has been speculated to be written about him.)  It is song about the vulnerability of a relationship.  She, or the relationship itself, is the China Doll in this song, for at any moment she could break.  Nicks and Buckingham went through their many ups and downs throughout the years and this song perfectly describes the relationship limbo that Nicks was in at the time. Stevie Nicks has written hundreds of beautiful songs, but If I had to choose, this would be her most vulnerable and honest song yet.  It is one of those songs that I don't think even belongs on an album.   This song is almost too private to be shared with the world...

...But I am sharing it with you.  Take a listen...

China Doll Stevie Nicks

  So those are only two songs that I will share, but there are TONS more that I will post later on.  Thank god for youtube.com or we would have never even known that these demos even existed!  In my opinion, raw songs like these are the next best thing to going back in time.  I am transported back to a time when songs were based off real emotion. It is refreshing to be able to listen to good music...

Real Music.

I'm on a demo high and need to check out more...maybe I'll post them later!  Till next time...

JDSkills

Demo or Album?

    Do you ever wonder what goes into the making of a song?  I sure do.  Whenever I am listening to the finished album cut of a song, I always wonder..."What does the demo sound like?"  I always seem to like the rough cuts more than the clean ones.  To me, they sound more authentic and raw.  I like to hear what could have been in the song. You can hear vocals and instruments that never made the finished product and in all actuality, those extra bits made the song that much better.  When I listen to demos, I make sure to listen to them the whole way through.  Especially with a band like Fleetwood Mac, you always seem to hear tid-bits of interesting lyrics that give a better explanation to the song.  Like I stated before, when listening to a Fleetwood Mac song, particularly from the Rumours era, it is like reading their diary.  Within these demos are extra "pieces of the puzzle" that allow the listeners to experience what they were feeling at that very moment.  Its like being a fly on the wall so to speak...(the one time when I would love to be an insect).
  Lots of times in demo, you will get longer tracks for they simply did not have room to fit them on an album.  A classic example of this would be when Stevie Nicks was denied to have her beautiful song, Silver Springs on the 1976 Rumours album. The song was recorded and then at the last second, she was told it would not make the album for it was too long. The song was replaced with a shorter upbeat song of Nicks' called I Don't Want to Know.-an awesome diddy might I add...
Thankfully, Silver Springs was finally released 25 years later on the Rumours expansion CD, but until then very few were exposed to album version of the song. 

    Alright so I'm a demo girl but who knows, you guys might like the finished product of a song better than the demo!  We all have our differences...

You guys listen to these next few vids and you make the call.  Demo or Album?  ( Stevie Nicks has many demos, so I just focused on her songs.  When I find more from Christine and Lindsey I will be sure to post them!)

Silver Springs Demo 1976 Rumours

Silver Springs1976- Sold now on: Rumours Expansion CD ( The recording that was cut at the last minute.  This was the final cut)



Gypsy Demo 1983


Gypsy on 1983 Mirage Album

  So those are a few comparisons of a demo versus and album track...



 Now here are some songs that resurfaced a good twenty-plus years after they were first recorded.  The first song is a song of Nicks' If you Ever Did Believe  The song was written for the Rumours album and once again...a beautiful song that never made the cut.  It resurfaced when Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crowe re-recorded this song in order for it to be in the 1998 film Practical Magic starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock.  Take a listen...

1976" Rumours-to be" Version (Demo-take)If You Ever Did Believe



1998 Music Video to Film Practical Magic Re-recorded If You Ever Did Believe


...And remember that other song that was supposed to be on Rumours? I wrote about it to you earlier, but it is the song Planets of the Universe. Its a haunting song that never made the album but it finally found its was out to the public when Stevie Nicks re-recorded it for her 2003 Trouble in Shagri-La Album. Check out the differences in these two versions...

1976 "Rumours to be" Version Planets of the Universe


2003 Trouble in Shangri-La Album: Stevie Nicks solo



And might I add that all four versions (both new and old) are in my currently Ipod-and I hope they will be in yours too!
I hope the next time you listen to an album version of a song, you will think of the process that went into making that recording what it is today. Who knows, maybe there are more songs out there that we have yet to hear. All we need to do is wait twenty plus years...

...But I bet it will be worth the wait.

JDSkills

Rumours Songs: Back from the Dead over Thirty Years Later

      Like mentioned in a previous post, the 1976 Rumours album was a lyrical diary of break-ups and heartache.  To think, we will get in the car, tune in to our favorite classic rock station and turn the dial up full blast when we hear a song like "Go Your Own Way."  We are flying down the highway with one hand out the window and one hand tapping to the rhythm on our steering wheel.  We (badly...) sing the song with smiles on our faces not even realizing the pain that those five people had to endure just to create this classic masterpiece.

    Well slow down your cars and get to your closest music store, because there are even more songs on the Rumours: Deluxe Edition CD.    If you aren't in your cars then get on your computer (or stay on the computer for that matter) and visit this site at amazon.com and get the CD for  around 25 dollars.  You might think this is pricey, but it is worth it.  It has all of the rough outtakes that we never got to listen to on the original album. Think that Rumours is just eleven songs?  You're dead wrong...try 18.



Stevie Nicks recording



    One of my favorite gems on this expansion CD is a song written by Stevie Nicks called Planets of the Universe.  The song resurfaced a good 25 years later when Nicks released a longer, less bitter version on her 2001 solo album titled Trouble in Shangri-La.  The reason Nicks decided to re-record this song is  because  while looking back on it, she realized that it was very bitter and pessimistic.  She didn't want to have her listeners feel hopeless after taking a listen to this song.  The song was originally titled No Light.  Seems dark don't you think?  As a listener, you must put yourself in this young woman's shoes.  She has just broken up with the love of her life and now must write and sing her feelings for the recording of her next album.  She isn't doing what most of us girls would do (  watch a funny movie, eat chocolate and then cry a little...) to get over a breakup.  She needs to sing and write this song not only for herself, but for the success of her bands next album.  How can a person write a song to gain success when they feel so beaten down?  And like stated in my first post, the recording of this album was not done in  a large studio.  It was done in a rather small studio.  Heart wrenching, awkward and uncomfortable to say the least...

    The video above is the song Planets of the Universe.  This is the piano demo version of the song and you can get this recording on the expansion CD.  Ill give you all a moment to play the clip above. Okay... Listen to it yet?? Ugh makes you want to break down and cry.  I can literally feel Nicks' pain on this song. The song is haunting with Nicks playing on piano.  The shakiness of the piano is in tune with the shakiness of her own voice.  You can hear the crack and quiver in her voice at mark 2:00 onward.  Turn your speakers up at the end.  You can hear her say "That is so intense..." Intense to say the least.    This song  sets the tone of what not only what she was going through in her own breakup with Lindsey Buckingham, but with what the other members of the band were going through as well.  This is just one extra bonus on the CD and it is my favorite.

Imagine singing this close to your ex.  Awkward.

              So I leave you with this.  Everyone who is reading.  BUY THIS EXPANSION CD!  It is so raw, real and human.  Even if you are a developing fan of this band, I encourage you to buy it.  I love listening to these rarities, because I feel like I am there with them. I feel as though I am there in the studio with the members of the band. Just taking Nicks' song as an example, I feel as though I am sitting next to her piano as she sings.  I am right there waiting for her to finish her song with a box of tissues and glass of wine in hand to help her get over that breakup that she had a few days earlier with Lindsey.  Getting the CD is the closest thing that there will ever be to the invention of the time machine.  After all, haven't you always wanted to go back in time? Pop this into your car's CD player and you will.

JDSkills